Label identification system

ABSTRACT

An improved automatic system is provided for reading identifying labels on receptacles, such as test tubes or bottles, or the like, and for producing appropriate identification signals in response thereto for processing purposes. The labels have protuberances formed thereon in accordance with a preconceived code, and the protuberances are read as the receptacles and their labels are transported past a read station. The read station is equipped with pressure sensitive transducers which sense the protuberances and produce electric signals in response thereto.

[54] LABEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM [72] Inventor: Matthew C. Urbln, 4524 La Barca Drive, Tarzana, Calif. 91356 Filed: Oct. 2, 1970 Appl. No.: 77,605

US. Cl. ...235/61.11 C, l79/100.41 PE, 310/83 Int. Cl ..G06k 7/00, HOlv 7/00, H04r 17/00 Field of Search .235/61.ll H, 61.11 R, 61.11 A,

[ 1 Nov. 21, 1972 3,048,097 8/1962 Miller... ..235/61.7 B

Primary Examiner-Maynard R. Wilbur Assistant Examiner-Thomas J. Sloyan Attorney-Jessup & Beecher [57] ABSTRACT An improved automatic system is provided for reading identifying labels on receptacles, such as test tubes or bottles, or the like, and for producing appropriate 235/6111 B; 179/ 100.41 PE; identification signals in response thereto for 1 processing purposes. The labels have protuberances formed thereon in accordance with a preconceived [56] 7 References cued code, and the'protuberances are read as the recepta- UNITED STATES PATENTS cles and their labels are transported past a read sta- 7 tion. The read station is equipped with pressure sensi- 3069'496 12/1962 k et a] -235/61-11D the transducers which sense the protuberances and s gF produce electric signals in response thereto. l 3,184,714 5/1965 Brown et al. ..235/61.7 B 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures firexrlre-fmn'zxk e Jem/ rafl/zmvar 7894/99/90 0 0 r/ Til/lf/l/(l/ I I l 1 I I 1 I jz\ I l 4 1a f d e w j j .-4c f /10 4 F 6 q 14+ I e e U 0 b r iiz/ 20 4 /30 /acerr/h;

LABEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Itis usual in hospitals, and in other centers where clinical tests are conducted, for specimens of a patients blood or urine to be taken and subjected to a variety of tests. The usual procedure is to place the specimen in a test tube and to attach a label to the test tube which bears information identifying the patient and also enumerating the various tests which are to be conducted on the particular specimen.

The system of the present invention finds particular utility in such a system since it enables, for example, the label to be coded-with indicia representing the various tests to be conducted, and the label may then be sensed in the read station of the system of the invention so that particular control effects may be implemented. These control effects may be such that the desired tests on the specimen may be performed, all on an entirely automatic basis. I

Although the foregoing represents one particular use for the system of the present invention, it will become evident as the description proceeds that the system has wide utility in the field of product identification for automatic processing and other purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a representation of a typical label bearing protuberances in accordance with a particular code, so that the label may be sensed in the system of the inventron;

FIG. 2 is a table representing atypical code which may be used for coding information on labels, such as the label of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a read station incorporated in the system of the invention and constructed to embody the concepts of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a section of the read station taken essentially along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATE EMBODIMENT The label shown in FIG. 1 may be designated 10, and as noted, the label has a plurality of protuberances 12 formed on it. For example, a group of the protuberances 12 may extend across the label, as shown, and these may be used for indexing purposes, so that the read apparatus in the system of the invention is ap-' prised as to the correct direction of the movement of the label to be sensed, and also as to whether the label is properly positioned and oriented, so that the code may be read without error. Various numbers on the label may be coded, by positioning corresponding protuberances 12 in alignment with different ones of the index protuberances as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. Likewise, alphabetical characters may also be coded on the label by a similar coding means.

The label 10, as shown in FIG. 3, is transported in any particular manner past a read head designated generally as 14. In the representation of FIG. 3, the

protuberances are considered as extending down into the plane of the paper, and as the label is moved past the read head 14, various ones of the protuberances engage and exert pressure on different metal strips 16 which are positioned in uniplanar spaced and parallel relationship on one face of the read head.

The metal strips 16 are positioned on a pressure sensitive semiconductor transducer 18, as best shown in FIG. 4, and the transducer in turn is mounted on a common metal backing 20. Pressure sensitive semiconductor transducers are well known, and such transducers exhibit localized decreased resistance characteristics when pressure is exerted on them. Thus, whenever a protuberance on the label 10 moves along one of the strips 18, the resulting resistance between that strip and the metal backing is reduced, so that a change in signal amplitude may be detected across corresponding output terminals, such as the terminals 24 in FIG. 4.

Therefore, as the label 12 is transported past the read head 14, the row of index protuberances 12 are first detected by the corresponding strips 16 to assure that the label has the proper orientation and position. Then, if the label is properly oriented and positioned, the system is activated, and the subsequent protuberances are sensed so that appropriate control effects may be implemented. For example, the individual strips 16 may be connected to an appropriate processing system which responds to the electric signals to produce the desired control effects. For example, the. processing system 30 may record the various data on appropriate tapes which are subsequently used to control automatic machinery. I

The system of the invention is most advantageous in that it creates the basis for completely automatic processing of clinical tests, for example, andalso hasapplication in a wide range of different fields, whereby appropriately labeled products may be detected so that selected handling operations may be automatically instituted and controlled.

It will be appreciated that although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended to cover all such modifications in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A label detection system for reading identifying labels as such labels are moved along a particular path, said labels having protuberances thereon in accordance with a predetermined code, said protuberances extending in rows parallelto the direction of movement of the labels along said path and in columns transverse to said direction of movement, said system including: a read head past which successive labels of the aforesaid type are transported along said path and which comprises a series of mutually insulated elements disposed tranversely across the path to be selectively actuated by the aforesaid protuberances in respective ones of said rows on each of the labels, and which generate successive electrical signals in response to such selective actuation, such successive signals being indicative of the protuberances in successive columns on each. of the labels, said elements comprising individual strips of electrically conductive material disposed in uniplanar spaced and parallel mutually insulated relationship and in position to sense different ones of the aforesaid protuberances as each label is transported past said read head, said system including a common electrically conductive backing member and a layer of pressure sensitive semiconductor material interposed between said strips and said backing member.

2. The label detection system defined in claim 1 in which said elements comprise individual pressure sensitive transducers in position to sense different ones of the aforesaid protuberances as each label is transported past said head. 

1. A label detection system for reading identifying labels as such labels are moved along a particular path, said labels having protuberances thereon in accordance with a predetermined code, said protuberances extending in rows parallel to the direction of movement of the labels along said path and in columns transverse to said direction of movement, said system including: a read head past which successive labels of the aforesaid type are transported along said path and which comprises a series of mutually insulated elements disposed tranversely across the path to be selectively actuated by the aforesaid protuberances in respective ones of said rows on each of the labels, and which generate successive electrical signals in response to such selective actuation, such successive signals being indicative of the protuberances in successive columns on each of the labels, said elements comprising individual strips of electrically conductive material disposed in uniplanar spaced and parallel mutually insulated relationship and in position to sense different ones of the aforesaid protuberances as each label is transported past said read head, said system including a common electrically conductive backing member and a layer of pressure sensitive semiconductor material interposed between said strips and said backing member.
 1. A label detection system for reading identifying labels as such labels are moved along a particular path, said labels having protuberances thereon in accordance with a predetermined code, said protuberances extending in rows parallel to the direction of movement of the labels along said path and in columns transverse to said direction of movement, said system including: a read head past which successive labels of the aforesaid type are transported along said path and which comprises a series of mutually insulated elements disposed tranversely across the path to be selectively actuated by the aforesaid protuberances in respective ones of said rows on each of the labels, and which generate successive electrical signals in response to such selective actuation, such successive signals being indicative of the protuberances in successive columns on each of the labels, said elements comprising individual strips of electrically conductive material disposed in uniplanar spaced and parallel mutually insulated relationship and in position to sense different ones of the aforesaid protuberances as each label is transported past said read head, said system including a common electrically conductive backing member and a layer of pressure sensitive semiconductor material interposed between said strips and said backing member. 